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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29928027">Son of Wind, Son of Fire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dem0nsiget/pseuds/dem0nsiget'>dem0nsiget</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drama, F/M, Found Family, I mean, M/M, Occasional swearing, Peril, Six Of Crows fanfic, SoC fanfiction, gang mentions, honestly I don’t know how to tag things XD, i guess, its in the books, no beta we die like tim, nothing new</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:55:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,845</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29928027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dem0nsiget/pseuds/dem0nsiget</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Matthias Helvar Fahey is far from a criminal, the adopted son of one of the wealthiest merchers in Ketterdam, and under the direct protection of the leader of the Dregs. </p><p>But when said leader, Kaz Brekker, needs him for a job, he will need to gather his own gang, ones capable, and willing, to break the law. </p><p>A Grisha Heartrender with powers no one has ever seen before.<br/>A Zemeni spider and sharpshooter with an ego as big as the True Sea.<br/>A Kerch demolitions expert with a dark past.<br/>And a mercher's son with his family on the line.</p><p>To save his parents, Matthias must lead his  ragtag group throughout Kerch, and through his family history, both of his blood family, and his adoptive family.</p><p>And he just may find out why his parents died, and who was responsible.</p><p>((Just a small note that this summary will change slightly, I just haven’t figured out to what XD. But this plot line was one I decided to scrap part of, but haven’t decided yet how to word what I changed it to!))</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, keeping the others a secret</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue- Jesper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jesper could smell the fire before they even arrived at his childhood home, relief washing over them when they saw that it was not the Fahey's home burning, though Jesper felt terrible for the family whose home was up in flames.</p><p>Wylan sat beside him, a handkerchief held against his nose and mouth, blocking out the smoke. His eyes flicked over and met Jesper's, fear in them. Wylan had been the first to comment on the smell of smoke, the first to realize it could very well be Jesper's old home that was burning. They had spurred their horses on even faster at that.</p><p>"It must be the Mkulima's.", Jesper said quietly as they got closer to the house, both of them watching the smoke billowing from the near horizon, though the trees that grew next to the river blocked their view of the house.</p><p>Colm was leaning against the door frame when they dismounted, Wylan finally shoving the cloth back into his pocket. Jesper strode over and pulled his father into a hug.</p><p>"We thought it was you for a bit.", he said softly to his father, who nodded.</p><p>"I figured you would, but there was no way to get word to the harbor to tell you, and I didn't know what road you were taking. Come inside, the air is cleaner.", he said, as Wylan walked over, Colm hugging his son-in-law as well.</p><p>Jesper led the way inside, Wylan following, Colm bringing up the rear and closing the door.</p><p>"I'm sorry you had to come when something so terrible is happening.", Colm said." And the sky won't be clear for another week or so, and you'll miss it.", he said, getting up and starting to make a pot of tea.</p><p>Jesper glanced at Wylan, the soft tug of a smile playing on his lips. He didn't need the Zemeni sky, not when he got to look into it everyday in Wylan's eyes. As Wylan caught his gaze, Jesper could tell Wylan knew what he was thinking, because he flushed a bit, glancing away quickly.</p><p>"But, let us enjoy being together while we can. I'll start on dinner."</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Later, while they were sitting around the table, eating and talking, a knock on the door interrupted their meal, all three of them glancing up, before Colm stood, Jesper and Wylan following suit. They all walked to the door, which Colm opened.</p><p>There, slightly soot-stained, his eyes wide, was Colm's neighbor, a man named Roland Bauernhof, a rather burly man with black hair streaked with grey, a small bundle wrapped up in his arms.</p><p>"Colm, good, your son is here. I was hoping he was.", Roland said softly, the bundle held against his chest with one arm, which he slowly pulled away, cradling the bundle.</p><p>Jesper felt Wylan's hand clutch his arm as Roland shifted the bundle, revealing a small, smoke-stained Zemeni face. </p><p>"His mother barely made it to our house before she died.", Roland said softly." He's only a few weeks old, he doesn't even have a name."</p><p>Wylan had taken a step forward before any of them could say a word, taking the small child, holding him close, looking down at him.</p><p>Jesper was at a loss for words for once in his life, watching Wylan and the child. He looked up to see Roland looking straight at him.</p><p>"He's a zowa.", he said softly, the words causing both Colm and Jesper to tense slightly, Wylan looking up.</p><p>"A what?", he asked, his question unnoticed.</p><p>"What kind?", Jesper asked softly.</p><p>"The same.", Roland said, his gaze not moving from Jesper.</p><p>"What is a zowa?", Wylan asked, looking between the other three, then down at the child.</p><p>"It... it's Zemeni for blessed, Wy.", Jesper said softly." It's their word for Grisha.", he said softly.</p><p>Wylan looked up sharply at that, meeting his boyfriend's eyes, before he looked back down at the baby." Then we have to take him in.", he said softly, gazing warmly down at the child." Give him a proper life. A proper family.", he said.</p><p>Jesper walked over, resting a hand on the boy's head. The small baby blinked his eyes open at that, looking up at them, his dark eyes, sparking defiantly, as though he had been daring the fire to hurt him, the dust on him shining with metal. Jesper brushed it off, meeting the small child's eyes.</p><p>"Matthias.", Wylan whispered, barely audible, then repeated himself, a bit louder." Matthias Helvar Fahey.", he said, taking Jesper aback, looking at him.</p><p>Colm and Roland, who had been speaking quietly, looked at them when they heard him. Colm looked a bit solemn, and nodded." It's very fitting. May he have all the strength and determination of his namesake.", he said softly, though Roland looked a bit confused, but merely nodded.</p><p>"That's a good, strong name.", he said.</p><p>Wylan nodded, his eyes not moving from Matthias' face. Jesper had seen that look before, in his father when he had been younger, the look that said quietly 'I will protect you with all my strength'.</p><p>He rested a hand on Matthias' head again, his other am looping around Wylan's waist.</p><p>"Matthias Helvar Fahey.", he repeated with a nod of confirmation, smiling down at the young child.</p><p>High above, a crow flew by, it's slick head titled slightly, an eye focused on the house surrounded by jurda, before it let out a harsh cry, and flew higher, disappearing into the sun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Matthias</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Watch it, boy!"</p><p>Matthias leaped back, just as the cart full of vegetable went by, nearly hitting him.</p><p>"Watch it!" he said, glaring after the cart and it's owner, his dark eyes sparking in annoyance. The farmers and merchers around here annoyed him, especially the ones from outside the city.</p><p>The hustle and bustle of Ketterdam continued around him, carts bumping by. He watched them a bit more, before he jogged across the street, a hand resting on the revolver at his side, making sure the precious gun didn't somehow come loose from it's holster. Matthias turned and headed down the road, looking around, alert. One didn't walk East Stave without being alert, no matter who you were.</p><p>He strode by the Crow Club, only glancing at the building, the kruge in his pocket almost feeling heavier. He could still remember his one and only time inside, at least as a player. He had been on a winning streak of ten before he had been yanked away by the arm, the familiar weight of metal against his skin, before he turned to see Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, Bastard of the Barrel, and his uncle. He wouldn't soon forget the lecture he had received, about how the name Fahey and gambling never mixed well. </p><p>As he walked by, several people glanced over, whispering softly, a few shamelessly pointing at his collar. He frowned, running a thumb across the golden wreath there, pinned to the collar of his elaborately embroidered emerald coat. It gave him privelege, yes, but sometimes it was more trouble than it was worth.</p><p>Matthias just kept walking, checking his watch. His visit to the Slat had taken longer than he thought, and he knew he was going to be late for dinner; there wasn't time to walk all the way to the Geldin district before seven bells. He sighed. He didn't even think he could walk all the way there tonight, he was already exhausted. He knew if he stayed out the night his fathers wouldn't turn much of a cheek, not when it came to him, they knew he could hold his own. But he hated that look of relief on his dad's face, as though he had the slightest thought that he wouldn't make it home. He knew Wylan worried enough, and he didn't want to add to it.</p><p>Perhaps he could spend a few of the kruge sitting in his pocket for a gondel, though there was always his fear that it would be some sort of trap against him. His father had always ingrained a sense of healthy paranoia, as he called it, into Matthias. Spending a year in the Barrel would do that to a person. </p><p>"Matty!"</p><p>The call made him turn, a familiar face walking up, the unmistakable grin of Jesper Fahey making him grin." Father.", he said, as Jesper fell into step with him. Jesper had the smell of smoke and water stuck to him, a telltale sign that he had been down by the Slat as well, maybe even inside of it." Why are you down here? Didn't think I could talk to Kaz myself?", he said, glancing at his father, who chuckled.</p><p>"What, a man can't go say hello to his old friend?", he asked, smiling at Matthias as they kept walking.</p><p>Matthias didn't say anything, continuing to walk. He was nearly 18, nearly an adult, and he really wished his father would stop trying to protect him so much. He knew that was why Jesper had followed to the Slat; not to talk to Kaz, but to keep an eye on Matthias. He always did, no matter how much Matthias complained, so he had finally stopped complaining, and merely ignored it. He knew Jesper just wanted to make sure he didn't get himself into a hole like his father had once done, gambling away his money, and essentially his freedom as he collected debt after debt. Matthias would never even dream about doing such a thing, but even with his many assurances to this fact, his father still worried, still hovered.</p><p>They walked in silence to the Exchange, where there was even more crowds and business, though Matthias easily spotted the ruddy colored curls of Wylan Fahey-Van Eck, standing at the top of the stairs to the Exchange, speaking with one of the many merchers in Kerch, Wylan nodding every now and then. Matthias and Jesper started up the steps, until they were next to them, the other mercher having just turned and walked off. Wylan turned towards them, his eyes lighting up when he saw the two of them." Looks like we're all going to be late for dinner.", he said with a smile. Matthias smiled, as his father wrapped an arm around him.</p><p>"I guess we are.", Jesper said, smiling, and he looked around." Why don't we go get something from an inn or what not?", he asked. Matthias nodded at that idea. There was only so many times he could handle sitting in the dining room, which was always stuffy after the cooks had been running the ovens. Wylan smiled.</p><p>"Alright, where do you have in mind?", he asked, as they started walking down the steps, Matthias on the other side of his father, who still had his arm around Wylan.</p><p>Matthias looked around, at all the merchers going to and from the Exchange, taking note of their clothes, their postures, their faces. He could tell the more prestigious ones, the wannabes, and everything in between. He also noticed the men and women walking by, some of them holding the air of a mercher, others obviously from the Barrel, having the rather pulled down look, some of them in a piece of flashy clothing or two, though they had nothing on Jesper or Matthias. </p><p>Matthias glanced at his father's outfit today. It was the one that Wylan claimed was an almost perfect match to the one he had first seen Jesper in, in that dye factory years ago. He had heard that story over and over. How Jesper had thought he looked like a lost prince, how Wylan had noticed him immediately due to his flashy yellow and green ensemble that day. </p><p>"Matthias? Did you hear me?"</p><p>Wylan's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, looking at him, both Jesper and Wylan looking at him.</p><p>"Oh, uh, no, sorry, Dad. What did you say?", he asked, blushing a bit.</p><p>Wylan chuckled softly." I was asking whether you wanted to go down to the university cafe.", he asked. Matthias smiled slightly, and nodded.</p><p>"Sure.", he said, as they finally walked on the street proper.</p><p>As they continued walking, Jesper suddenly stopped, and looked behind him, and grinned." Look who decided to show up."</p><p>"I only did in order to tell you something, Jes."</p><p>Matthias turned at the sound of Kaz's voice, as Kaz walked up to them, and stopped in the street.</p><p>"Or you just couldn't let this face leave again without one last glance.", Jesper said, grinning.</p><p>Kaz didn't return the smile, his face its usually stoic mask." I need your help.", he said." All three of you.", he said, looking over the three of them.</p><p>Matthias saw his father look a bit shocked, and he was as well. Kaz hadn't asked them to join him for a job in awhile.</p><p>"Why now?", Jesper asked.</p><p>"Because I need someone who can blow stuff up, a sharpshooter, and a Fabrikator.", he said." And Matthias is far more capable in that than you, Jesper.", he said.</p><p>Wylan frowned, but didn't protest, looking between his husband and son." What do we have to do?", he asked</p><p>"Meet me in the usual spot at twelve bells tonight.", he said." Then I'll let you know.", he said, before he turned and strode off without another word.</p><p>"I am convinced he acts so mysterious on purpose.", Jesper said, frowning after him, his hands resting on his revolvers, before he glanced over to Wylan.</p><p>"You almost died last time.", Wylan said simply.</p><p>It was true. The last job they had done for Kaz, when it had gone 'wrong', had resulted in Jesper nearly bleeding out. Matthias knew he still had the scar on his chest.</p><p>Jesper frowned." I was taken by surprise, Wy.", he said." Beside, let's find out what we have to do first before we say yes or no."</p><p>Wylan frowned." Fine, but if you die, I get to say I told you so."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Kyara</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kyara would never get used to the smell of smoke, fish, and slightly stagnant water Ketterdam always held. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, glancing around, knowing her Fjerdan blonde hair would stand out in the sea of browns and blacks, only a few heads of Kaelish red hair breaking the monotony.</p><p>She sighed, and walked off, holding onto her bag, feeling the familiar weight of her flute, a welcome comfort. She did not like this town, with it's cramped alleys and tight canals, so much different from the sprawling fields and beaches of the Ravkan coast. </p><p>She couldn't imagine how anyone felt safe in this town, not without the protection she had. She could see a few people spare her a passing glance, one of which she knew was a Dime Lion, who just turned and hurried away.</p><p>When you had the protection of the Barrel's worst criminal, people kept their distance, and their own business. </p><p>Kyara sighed softly. She was here to see that very person, the letter from her mother cluthced in her hand. Nina had been insistent that Kyara deliver the message to Kaz, and that she spent some time in Ketterdam after that. She said she had already arranged for Kyara to stay at her uncle's house, which made her a bit nervous.</p><p>Matthias would be there.</p><p>She frowned slightly at the thought of her cousin, who had plagued her mind since the last time she had seen him. He was so handsome now, tall, broad, with the same mischievous glint in his eyes that her Uncle Jesper had. Something about it made her unable to stop thinking about it.</p><p>She shook her head, glancing around. She might have Kaz's protection, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be any idiots who might try something. You had to keep your wits about you in the Barrel.</p><p>She kept walking, her hair blowing in a soft, muggy breeze. She especially hated Ketterdam in the summer and spring. There was no cooling ocean breeze to blow through here, just the muggy, blanket-like heat of the city, the smell of smoke making it even worse.</p><p>Kyara almost wished she had Tailored herself before coming into the city. She felt like she had a giant target on her back, and felt uneasy, the unease of a prey animal knowing it was being watched by a predator, but not seeing the danger where it lurked. This wasn't the unease of Inej watching her steps, this was something worse.</p><p>She just kept walking, but focused her hearing behind her, trying to tune out any unneeded sounds, until she found it. The sound of two men walking, one of their strides uneven, the others heavy.</p><p>Honestly, did these people know nothing of stealth? </p><p>Sure, she was no Inej Ghafa, but she had had enough lessons from her aunt to know how to walk silently, so that no one would be able to detect your footfalls, not even the brush of fabric against your legs as you stepped, no matter how loose-fitting your garments were.</p><p>Kyara ducked into an alley way that she knew led through onto another street, taking the seconds of time she had to drag her hair through her fingers, brown spreading like ink through her loose waves, as she kept walking, disappearing into the crowd of Kerch, slipping like a fish into the school, hiding from the sharks that prowled.</p><p>As she glanced back briefly, she saw her followers looking baffled, looking around for the young Fjerdan, not the young Kerch she looked like.</p><p>She grinned, and turned and kept walking, quite proud of herself. Once she was out of sight, she did the same thing again, changing her hair back to it's usual blonde.</p><p>She had been told many times she was a rare specimen, that the other Grisha deduced her powers were from her mother's battle with jurda parem, the drug that had taken so many other Grisha lives, that no Grisha but Nina Zenik had survived.  </p><p>She sighed softly. She had heard her mother's stories of her struggle with the after-effects of parem, how she wouldn't have gotten through it without Kyara's father.</p><p>Her father. He was the other reason she hated Ketterdam. It had been in this maze of streets and canals that her father had lost his life, during the elaborate plan made to acquire their money from Jan Van Eck, the mercher who had swindled the six of them, her uncles and aunt, her mother and father. Matthias Helvar. The man her cousin Matty had been named after, the man that had given her her middle name. She cursed these stones for having taken her father away, for having never allowed her to get to know him, to having to subside on stories of him. She loved the stories, but it didn't fix the fact that she had never had a father to curl up against when she was scared, to tell her it was alright, that he wouldn't let anything hurt her.</p><p>"Miss? Miss?", a voice behind her called, causing her to turn.</p><p>A young boy stood there, a wallet in his hand. Her wallet.</p><p>"You dropped this, miss."</p><p>She smiled, taking it from him with a nod of thanks, before she started checking through it, and found a new slip of paper.</p><p>Van Eck boathouse. Twelve bells. </p><p>Kyara knew immediately who it was, the neat but scratchy handwriting familiar to her. If Kaz was sending her a note, it meant he wasn't at the Slat, which meant she was walking the wrong way.</p><p>She sighed softly, and turned, heading back up the street, the young boy who had given her her wallet nowhere in sight. She thought nothing of it; Kaz had obviously just paid him to deliver the message, not stick around her.</p><p>She headed back towards the Financial district, a frown on her face. All of that walking for nothing? She had a feeling her uncle was just testing her, or maybe he had a different reason. Perhaps she would have been jumped if she had headed straight towards the Van Eck mansion. She knew it was only just past seven bells, so she had several hours, but if she was going to be staying with her uncles, she might as well head over there now. She set her feet towards the mansion, glancing around as she did.</p><p>Maybe she could get used to this place.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Jax</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jax strolled down the street with the easy stride of a man who felt completely at ease with his surroundings. He was cocky and arrogant, but he at least had the sense to be wary as he walked through the Barrel, though his demeanor may not have shown it.</p><p>Part of his confidence rested at his hips, two sleek revolvers, both of Zemeni make, rested there. He had acquired them from an abandoned room at the Slat, the one and only time he had snuck inside.</p><p>In the absence of the Wraith, word was whispered around Ketterdam of a new spider, one who worked for no one but himself, stealing and selling items from all the gangs. He was called the Shadow, the Unseen. </p><p>Honestly, he didn't care what he was called, as long as he had his money, and his life.</p><p>Ketterdam was so much different than the small Zemeni farm he had grown up on. Everything here was constantly moving, constantly changing, always up-to-date with the times, very much unlike Zemeni, where time had seemed to stand still but for the passing of days.</p><p>It wasn't that he had been unhappy: he had had loving parents, a caring older sister, an adorable younger brother. He had just been bored. So when the chance had come, he had saved up his money and bought a one-way ticket to Kerch's capital, to a new way of life, a new home.</p><p>He had found the gangs on the streets unappealing, no matter how many tried to get him to join their ranks. He took orders from no one, gave shares of his earnings to no man. He was his own person, and he would live as such, not in debt or under the command of any of the bosses around her.</p><p>Besides, he could handle himself. He had weapons, had knowledge, had determination. He had everything you needed out here in the streets, where a wrong turn or a misplaced step could spell disaster. </p><p>But he was the Shadow, always overlooked, able to follow in men's footsteps without them ever knowing.</p><p>Like he was doing to a group of young tourists right now.</p><p>They had maps open, pointing and arguing as they walked, coats and trousers finely tailored, obviously having worn their best clothes.</p><p>Jax didn't understand why they did that. The tourists never realized they were just putting more of a target on their backs by dressing in such finery, by practically shouting to those that called the Barrel home, 'Come steal my wallet!'</p><p>Jax was all too happy to answer their call.</p><p>He walked closer to the group, watching them but not, making sure no one member felt his stare for too long. Once he was closer enough, he feigned tripping, something he was an expert at doing, collapsing forward into the nearest tourist, a man who cried out in astonishment, before he turned, holding Jax's arm." Watch yourself, boy!', he exclaimed." You're going to injure yourself."</p><p>Jax straightened, brushing off his coat." Sorry, sir.", he said." It's these clumsy feet of mine.", he said, giving one a bit of a shake for emphasis. The man chuckled.</p><p>"'S'all right, boy. Just watch where you're goin' next time."</p><p>Jax nodded." I will, sir.", he said, and turned and walked off, and easily slipping into an alley and scaled the wall, using the window ledges to get to the roof, and peered over the side, just as the man went to reach for his wallet, and started frantically searching his pockets. He could hear the man's loud call of 'Son of a bitch!', floating up to him, and he slid down the roof, out of sight, grinning widely, inspecting the wallet better. It was quality leather, and stuffed full of kruge. </p><p>Just what he had been hoping. </p><p>He stood up, and walked along the roof line easily, the rubber soles of his boots mimicking the sole of a human foot, making it easy for him to walk along even the slickest of material. He was sure-footed, and to this day had never taken any terrible falls. Though he knew one day that luck would run out. It always did. No matter who you were, your luck ran out in one way or another, whether you wanted it to or not.</p><p>He easily swung himself down to a window ledge on the third building down from the one he had scaled, dropping into an abandoned room, as the building was deserted. In it was an old bed frame and mattress, the sheets on it yellowed with age. A trunk laid open on the opposite side of the room, clothes filling up most of it, a few personal belongings inside it.</p><p>Jax sighed, flopping down onto the bed, and pulled the kruge out of the wallet still in his hand, and started to count through it.</p><p>1,000 kruge.</p><p>He whistled lowly. The tourist had obviously just transferred his money. Jax had hit the jackpot. He grinned, running the edge of the stack against his fingers. He loved these times: when he had made a good haul, when for a bit he could pretend that he was a business man, that this was merely his days earnings.</p><p>He sighed softly after a bit. That wasn't the truth, and never would be. Jax was a crook, a criminal, and always would be. He would die on the streets, and probably be carted off, unnamed, to the Reaper's Barge, no one ever knowing his name. His parents would never know what happened to him.</p><p>He had left home with nothing but a few changes of clothes and his inheritance, which really hadn't been much. By the time he had bought new clothes, his boots, and saved enough for food for about a week, he had been broke.</p><p>So he had used his skills to his use.</p><p>But he was distracted by his thoughts by the sound of something crashing to the floor two floors down.</p><p>He leaped up, revolvers already in hand, loaded and ready. He walked silently towards the door, making sure not to let the floorboards creak so they didn't give away that he was there.</p><p>Either the noise was someone after him, someone who had just decided to walk in with no knowledge of the person living two floors up, or it wasn't a human at all.</p><p>He hoped it was the latter.</p><p>But as he descended the stairs quietly, he felt a crack to the base of his head, and only one thought shot through his head.</p><p>You are an idiot, Jax Risari.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Ari</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ari was really sick and tired of everyone.</p>
<p>They had just walked out of the Exchange, bag in hand, when a group of boys had walked by, laughing and yelling, until they quieted at the sight of Ari. The big leader had walked right up to them, and stepped in their face.</p>
<p>"Whatcha doing, freak? Going off to play pretend?", he had sneered.</p>
<p>Ari had just smiled at him somewhat sweetly, before breaking his nose with a single punch, and storming off.</p>
<p>There weren't many like Ari in Ketterdam, at least not that flaunted it. For that very reason. But Ari wasn't going to hide from their orientation.</p>
<p>So they fell outside of gender, who gave a damn? Certainly not them. People were just scared of what was different, what was not known to them.</p>
<p>"Stupid idiots.", they muttered as they walked away. They hadn't spent all that kruge just to fall into conformity with the people around them.</p>
<p>It had been hard to find a Tailor powerful enough, and willing enough, to help Ari. They carried no sign of gender, their hair cut short, lines of face and body neutral in every way. Even Ari's voice had been changed, smoothed out, so that it was completely neutral. It had taken weeks for all the changes, and a good two thousand kruge, but it was well worth it.</p>
<p>Ari shook their head, walking down the street, glancing around, on edge. They didn't feel safe in Ketterdam, ever. They might have been raised Kerch, but they hated this town.</p>
<p>It reminded them too much of their father, or, rather, their absence of one. </p>
<p>Ari kicked a rock, sending it skittering across the ground. They watched the Exchange everyday, saw the mercher come and go, but never had the heart to speak to him, to tell him the truth. He seemed so happy not knowing.</p>
<p>They sighed, and continued walking. They hated dwelling on the past, especially when they walked around. They had to be alert, not off somewhere daydreaming. They would probably be mugged for making that mistake.</p>
<p>The clock at the Church of Barter rang just then, marking eight bells. Ari was walking past it as it did, glancing up at the chiming bell. They had always heard the stories when they were younger about Ketterdam, about the Church of Barter, about the huge upset that had gone on their with Kuwei Yul-Bo's auction, his death, and the death of jurda parem. Everyone learned about it from their history tutors. Ari had been intrigued by it, by the stories of how Jan Van Eck had been swindled by Kaz Brekker.</p>
<p>Kaz Brekker. The infamous leader of the Dregs. Ari had met him once, and that had only been because they had been running a letter to him from the Exchange. He had been in the Slat, as expected, his hair in his usual style, long on top, slicked back, trimmed short on the sides, leaning on his infamous crow's head cane. He hadn't said a word to Ari, and Ari hadn't stuck around to see if he would. They wanted to spend as little time as possible anywhere near Brekker.</p>
<p>Ari watched the people walking by as he walked towards East Stave, where they were staying in a small boarding house, as they couldn't yet afford a place of their own. The boarding house was nice; the owner, a stout man named Kord Stauss was extremely kind to Ari, and his wife, Anselma, had been the one to help Ari get a job as a runner. Their child, Micha, was also fluid, and Ari got along with him extremely well. </p>
<p>As he walked up to the house, he saw Micha seated on the steps out front, reading a book, and glanced up as Ari walked over, and beamed.</p>
<p>"Hey, Ar. How was your day?", he asked, standing up as Ari reached the same step as him. </p>
<p>Ari smiled." It was good. Yours?", they asked, walking with Micha inside. The small living room like tavern on the first floor had several of the occupants seated on the various couches and chairs around the room, Kord behind the bar, talking and laughing with Sizwe and Tasnim, a Zemeni farmer and his Suli wife, who were visiting her partners for a few months in the off time between harvests.</p>
<p>Ari followed Micha to the bar, sitting up beside him. Kord smiled at the sight of them.</p>
<p>"Ah, how is my favorite runner?", he asked, smiling. Micha scoffed. Micha also worked at the Exchange as a runner, though not all the time like Ari. </p>
<p>Ari smiled." Good, sir.", they said." There's a large shipment of jurda coming in with the Van Eck company, and everyone is bustling around trying to get a share of it.", they said. </p>
<p>Kord chuckled. Kord had been a mercher for awhile, until he had married Anselma and had Micha, at which point he decided to sell his company and start an honest boarding house, a rare commodity in Ketterdam, let alone on the outskirts of the Barrel. Ari knew that Kord had known Jan Van Eck, though to what extent, Ari didn't know. They didn't talk much about him. But the controversy that had occurred after Yul-Bo's auction had brought the family into light, especially with Jan's then-teenage son taking over the business, had been talked about all over Ketterdam in the almost 20 years since the incident.</p>
<p>"I would imagine so. That boy's going to be in over his head.", Kord said with a soft chuckle. He turned his back on them, before he handed them each a large mug of water. They weren't big drinkers, Ari because they just didn't like the taste, Micha because the one time he had drank any more than a few sips of alcohol he had ended up revisiting his dinner.</p>
<p>Ari smiled gratefully, and started taking small sips, listening to Sizwe and Tasnim talk, just drifting into their thoughts, most of them drifting to their family, though they squashed those down. They basically had a new family, Kord and Anselma like their parents, Micha like a brother to them.</p>
<p>And as they listened to Kord, Micha, Sizwe and Tasnim talk and laugh, they couldn't be happier.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Matthias</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Matthias was in the music room, where he usually went to waste time, playing an old song Wylan had taught him on the piano, and glanced up when he could feel someone else in the room, and smiled when he caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair, turning back to the piano, as Kyara walked over and sat next to him.</p><p>"Hey.", she said softly, smiling.</p><p>"Hey.", he answered back, glancing at her and smiling." I figured you'd be here soon. Your things arrived not long ago. Do Jesper or Wylan know you're here?", he asked. She nodded.</p><p>"Jesper was the one that opened the door, and Wylan was in the living room.", she said, and starting playing the same song as Matthias, but in a higher octave." How's life been over here?"</p><p>"Good. Busy.", he said." Dad's been swamped by orders because of a huge jurda shipment coming in next week.", he said.</p><p>She hummed." How are your classes?", she asked.</p><p>Matthias stayed silent. He had intended to go to university, but he had instead decided to take a year off from tutors or university, to instead just enjoy his teenage years. He would have to get a job after university, probably working with Wylan so he would be ready to take over the business when he was older.</p><p>"I haven't gone yet. I'm taking a year off.", he said.</p><p>Kyara made a soft, noncommittal noise, and kept playing. They continued in silence for awhile, until Matthias broke the silence.</p><p>"What about you? How's life in Ravka?", he asked.</p><p>"Hopelessly boring.", she said. Matthias laughed at that.</p><p>Kyara smiled softly." There's not much to do but get tutored, play with the cat, and go for walks by the shore.", she said." And I don't get to do that sometimes because of slavers.", she said with a sigh." Although they relatively leave our stretch of coast alone. They know they'd be hunted down to the ends of the world by the Wraith.", she said with a smile.</p><p>Matthias chuckled." Very true.", he said, smiling. </p><p>Kyara just gave a small smile at that, and continued to play, skilled hands lightly playing over the keys. They'd gotten into this habit when they were kids, playing melodies and harmonies together to practice, talking as they did just because. As they'd gotten older, it had morphed into a way to cover conversations. </p><p>Matthias just turned his attention back to his own notes, the silence hanging thickly between them. </p><p>"I got a note from Uncle Kaz today.", Kyara finally said after a few moments, causing Matthias to glance at her in surprise. She glanced back at him, looking a bit surprised to see his expression. "Is there a problem with that?", she asked. </p><p>"I- no, it's just that he came down to the Exchange today to speak to the three of us. Something about a meeting in the boathouse at twelve bells.", Matthias said, the piano on his side going silent, followed by hers as Kyara turned to face him fully. </p><p>"That's what the note told me! 'Van Eck boathouse, twelve bells'.", she said. "What in the world is he planning?" </p><p>"Maybe he's finally snapped and is going to murder us all for Jesper's bad jokes.", Matthias teased, earning a short laugh from Kyara. </p><p>"Or all the teasing flirting from my mother.", she said with a grin. </p><p>"I'm pretty sure if that is the case, it'll be because of the two of you and your gossip.", a voice from the door called, both of them turning to find an amused looking Jesper leaned against the doorframe. "Dinner's just about on the table, so quit your prattle and come downstairs.", he said, before turning and disappearing from view. </p><p>Matthias stood up and headed for the door, but stopped and glanced back at Kyara when he reached the threshold. "Mark my words, it'll be because of him.", he said, before he whisked out of the music room, Kyara's laugh following him.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>"So, Kyara, how are things back home?" </p><p>Dinner had been served and for the most part eaten before Wylan piped up, the first words spoken for a good twenty minutes. </p><p>Kyara took a few moments to take a drink and swallow the bite she had been eating before she spoke. "Good. It's quiet, which I know my mother likes, but sometimes it can be a bit too quiet.", she said. "Though, I don't know if Ketterdam is exactly the change of scenery I wanted, no offense to you all.", she said, earning a short bark of laughter from Jesper. </p><p>"None taken.", Wylan said, elbowing his husband. "It's definitely a much different environment than the Ravkan coast, no matter who lives there." </p><p>"Honestly, if you guys moved out there, I would probably never leave the village again.", Kyara said, nudging a vegetable on her plate with her fork. "Let alone come here." </p><p>"Mm, maybe once Matthias is ready to take things over and we can retire. So, chop chop, Matty.", Jesper said, giving his son a cheeky grin. </p><p>Matthias just rolled his eyes slightly at his father. "Like you'd ever move away from Ketterdam. You love it here. Besides, how else would Kaz be able to keep an eye on you?", he teased his father. </p><p>Wylan laughed slightly at that, Jesper feigning an offended look. </p><p>"I don't require keeping an eye on.", he retorted. </p><p>"You do too, dear.", Wylan said, giving him a 'don't even try to argue' look. "You would probably be dead by now if Kaz didn't keep an eye on you." </p><p>Jesper opened his mouth to argue with that, but shut it soon after, before he frowned and sighed softly. "Alright, I can't argue with that without completely lying.", he said. </p><p>"If you even tried you'd be sleeping on the couch.", Wylan said easily, before he turned back to his food, Matthias and Kyara both laughing softly at their antics. </p><p>Matthias went back to eating as they fell back into a comfortable silence, Kyara glancing out the window after every bite, watching the moon's reflection visible in the rippling water of the canal. </p><p>After a few minutes, his fathers started discussing the jurda shipment they were expecting the next week, logistics and plans for who to have on shift when it came in, but he could hear a slight uncertainty to their plans. </p><p>None of them knew what Kaz had planned, or what this boathouse meeting was about. It could be a job, or it could be as simple as Kaz trying to buy Inej a birthday present (which Matthias doubted), but the point stood. </p><p>Kaz Brekker, while mysterious and scary, could also be exceedingly over-dramatic at times. </p><p>All they could do now was wait to see exactly which Kaz Brekker they would be getting that night.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Kyara</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Kyara had mentioned the note from Kaz at dinner, none of the four even tried to act like they'd be able to sleep. They were all wondering just what the meeting as all about.</p><p>They'd talked about that for about an hour after dinner, bringing the time to about nine and a half bells, which meant they still have two and a half bells to go before their meeting in the boathouse.</p><p>So they found themselves all sitting in the main sitting room, Jesper draped across a couch near the windows facing the channel that led to the sea, Wylan curled up against his side as best he could, Matthias lounging on the other couch. Kyara was seated on a large, cushioned armchair, her legs draped over one of the arms, flipping through a book she'd found on one of the few bookshelves in the house. </p><p>There was a soft mew from the doorway as Spider, the long haired black cat Inej had brought Matthias for his birthday a couple years back walked into the room and leapt up onto Kyara’s lap, curling up and purring loudly. </p><p>Matthias feigned a hurt expression. “I see how it is, Spy.”, he said, watching the purring cat, who merely blinked her large yellow eyes at him. </p><p>Kyara just chuckled at that, stroking Spider, who soon had her eyes closed, still purring away. </p><p>Silence fell back upon the room, and Kyara’s slight smile faded. The tension in the room was tangible, and visible in the tension in Jesper’s body, the apprehension written on Wylan’s face, the slight upturn of Matthia’s mouth, an almost questioning look. </p><p>They were all waiting, and wondering what Kaz could possibly need them for. In Jesper and Wylan’s case, most likely reliving the most notable time they’d worked a job with Kaz, the job that had been the death of Kyara’s father. </p><p>She glanced out the window at the darkness, only really broken up by the sparse lights of the other mercher mansions, and their reflections in the water. </p><p>Why did Kaz want her and Matthias? They had never worked a job before, barely even knew the skills for one, at least in Kyara’s case. Sure, she was a Tailor, with the ability to change her own appearance easily and at will, no mirror or pigments required, but still. That didn’t make her ready for criminal acts. </p><p>What would her mother think? Nina had always been protective of her, the reason they had moved to the Ravkan coast- less worry about Fjerdan drüskelle. </p><p>Kyara didn’t even know if she would say yes to Kaz. She knew that whatever it was had to be dangerous, or he wouldn’t be meeting them in the dead of night in their boathouse, somewhere no one would ever expect him to be. He wouldn’t force any of them into it, but he obviously wanted them, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent them the notes to meet. </p><p>She was brought back to the present by the sound of a voice, but while she’d tensed slightly, it was just Jesper, reading a chapter in a book to Wylan, something that was as familiar to her as the waves of the Ravkan coast. </p><p>Kyara glanced at Matthias, who was watching his fathers, seeming to relax as well as he listened to Jesper read. </p><p>She had a feeling that was the main reason Jesper had broken the silence: to calm their nerves, to try and ease the tension in the room. </p><p>Movement in the corner of her eye made her turn to watch as Matthias pulled a piece of metal out of his pocket, and started to fiddle with it. After a few moments, it seemed to melt into his hands, and move on its own. </p><p>Kyara couldn’t help but smile slightly. She’d been so afraid that things would have changed while she’d been gone this time, but almost everything was the same. </p><p>Jesper reading books to Wylan once the sun had gone down, or the two of them playing a melody together on the piano. Spider curled up on someone’s lap in the middle of the action, always wanting to be where everyone was. </p><p>And Matthias with his little piece of metal, moving and shaping it mindlessly, just looking for something to do with his hands more than anything. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>“Ky. Kyara. Hey, wake up.” </p><p>Kyara hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep, not until she was being woken up, startling awake slightly to meet Matthias’s face a few inches from hers. </p><p>“Huh? What?”, she murmured. </p><p>“Half bell just rang.”, Matthias said. “Eleven and a half bells. Almost time to meet Kaz.”, he said, straightening up. </p><p>Kyara sat up, letting out an ever so slight yawn as she did so. </p><p>Spider was gone, probably having left awhile ago, Jesper and Wylan also not in the sitting room, leaving just her and Matthias. </p><p>Kyara stood up, brushing her dress out, smoothing some of the wrinkles created by her sleeping position, not worrying about others.</p><p>It was Katz’s fault they were meeting at midnight, he would just have to deal with a few wrinkles in her dress. She doubted he’d care at all though. </p><p>Matthias led the way out of the sitting room and towards the door out into the garden, where it was only a short walk down to the canal, and the boathouse.</p><p>Jesper sat on one of the steps leading down into the garden, a silvery gleam announcing exactly what he was doing ; polishing his pistols, as usual. </p><p>Kyara just walked over, and was suddenly hit by a wall of nerves, worried about what Kaz had planned for them, just what he wanted. </p><p>It made her happy she was the only Corporalnik there. No one else would be able to hear her racing heart, not unless her blood was made of metal, which it definitely was not. </p><p>Jesper glanced up when they got close, standing up, brushing himself off slightly. “Ready to go? We’ll have to grab my dear husband, I made him go pace among the flowers rather than right in front of me. It was making me anxious.”, he said, before turning and walking down the stairs and into the garden, presumably to go fetch Wylan. </p><p>Kyara glanced at Matthias, who was looking right at her. </p><p>“Are you ready?”, he asked, an eyebrow raised slightly. She wasn’t sure if he was asking her, or himself more. </p><p>“As I’ll ever be.”, she said, before she gathered her skirts up and headed down the stairs, before she turned and headed for the boathouse, and whatever Kaz had waiting for them there.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Jax</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jax didn’t know what he’d expected to see once he woke up and opened his eyes. </p><p>Whatever it was, it was not Kaz Brekker. </p><p>The black suit-clad gang leader was standing a few feet in front of Jax, watching him, both gloved hands resting on his crow head cane. </p><p>Yep, definitely as terrifying as everyone said. </p><p>“Jax, is it?”, Brekker asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Or do you just go by the Shadow?” </p><p>He tried to answer like a normal, not scared shitless human being, he really did. </p><p>But all that came out when he tried to speak, was a tiny squeak. </p><p>Brekker didn’t look amused. He flipped his cane around, using the beak of the crow’s head to tilt Jax’s chin up slightly. </p><p>“Are you mute? Or just stupid?”, he asked coolly. </p><p>“Neither.”, Jax managed, glad he could at least keep some sort of dignity. Well, he did have the dignity of not shitting his pants, so there was that at least. </p><p>Brekker looked him over for a few more moments after his comment, before he pulled the cane away from Jax, leaning on it slightly again. </p><p>“Do you know why you’re here, spider?”, Brekker asked, meeting Jax’s gaze head-on. </p><p>“Certainly not because I double-crossed you. Like I said, I’m not stupid.”, Jax said smoothly, maybe a little too cockily, but it just earned a slight smirk from Brekker. </p><p>Ok, good. The occasional snarky comment wouldn’t get him murdered on sight. Good information to have. </p><p>“Well, you definitely are correct there. Try as I could, I could not find one trace of anything I could use against you as blackmail.”, Brekker said. “So, as much as I dislike it, I’ll have to come up with a different solution.” </p><p>Alright, maybe snarky comments would get him murdered. </p><p>Jax prepared for whatever horrible death Dirtyhands had in mind, but none came. Brekker didn’t even really move. Was he waiting for Jax to ask what he meant? He was scared to. Maybe that was why Brekker was waiting for, a cue to murder him swiftly or slowly. </p><p>“I need you for a job, and I’m willing to pay you handsomely for it.”</p><p>Well, that definitely wasn’t what Jax expected. </p><p>He looked up at Brekker, a bit startled. “Y- you need me?”, he asked. </p><p>“Yes, well, you’re not my first choice, but said first choice is currently somewhere in the True Sea hunting slavers.”, Brekker said. “So you’ll just have to do. I’ve heard of what you can do. A spider that almost rivals the Wraith, but not quite.”, he said. </p><p>“I- I mean, I don’t claim to be better.”, he said. He’d always heard stories of the Wraith, and knew he would never really be that good. “But, I am good.” </p><p>Was that a smile he saw on Brekker’s face? He couldn’t tell, because one second it was there, the next second it wasn’t. </p><p>“If you weren’t good, you wouldn’t be here right now.”, he said. “I only want the best for this job.” </p><p>Jax nodded slightly. “I won’t disappoint, but I do have to ask. How much money are we talking?”, he asked. </p><p>“500,000 kruge.”, Brekker said. “And if you survive, most likely a spot as my spider. Consider this job your audition. Based on you living situation, I trust you’d like the… semi-honest work.”</p><p>Jax nodded again at that. He’d started out scared shitless, and now he couldn’t help but be a bit excited. He must be damn good if Kaz Brekker was considering him to be his spider. </p><p>“Good. The rest of your crew should be here shortly. I did tell them twelve bells, but we’ll see if they can keep track of time.”, Brekker said, glancing at his pocketwatch and then the door. </p><p>Twelve bells. He’d been knocked out when it was still relatively light outside. That could not be good for him to have been unconscious for that long. </p><p>“My crew? So I’ll be leading?”, he asked. </p><p>Brekker let out a short bark of a laugh, something that made anxiety rise in Jax’s stomach slightly. </p><p>“Not by a long shot.”, Brekker said. “I wouldn’t give his job to just anyone, and the only reason you’re involved is because they’ll need a spider, and like I said, the best one I know is somewhere far away. No, you’ll be taking orders. More practice for if you do become my spider.”, he said. </p><p>There was something about the way he said ‘my spider’ that set off alarm bells in Jax’s head, but, to be fair, those had been going off ever since he’d opened his eyes and seen Kaz Brekker staring back at him. </p><p>“Oh.”, was all he said out loud. He didn’t know why he’d been hoping he’d get to lead a job, that was far too much to ask. Like Kaz had said, he didn’t have anything over Jax, nothing to stop him doing the job his way, or even taking it over. </p><p>He still didn’t even know what the job was. </p><p>“What even is this mysterious job you kidnapped me for?”, Jax asked. “I think I kind of need to know that before I go do it.” </p><p>“And you will, once everyone else gets here. I’m not about to repeat myself over and over.”, Brekker said, and for the first time, turned his back to Jax and walked over to the door, a window at eye level, and glanced around outside. </p><p>It gave Jax his first look at the place. What he’d thought was noise coming from outside was actually water sloshing against the walls of a canal, audible and visible thanks to two long holes in the floor, above which hung two gondels, Jax sitting in between the two boats on the strip of floor between the holes down to the canal below. </p><p>A boathouse. And judging by the nice wood and up-kept look, a mercher’s boathouse. Whose though, he had no idea. </p><p>He glanced up when he heard a slight scoff from Brekker, just as he turned and walked a few steps into the boathouse, before he turned and faced the doors. </p><p>Jax straightened up slightly, figuring that meant that whoever else was being employed for this job must be showing up. He felt a bit anxious, expecting big, burly men and sly-looking women. </p><p>The four that walked through the door, however, were anything but that.</p>
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